Validation Exam

Courses:

 European Literature
 Afro-Asian Literature
 Anglo American Literature
 African, Latin American and Asian Literature

Question:

A. Briefly define the following:

1. Anglo-American Literature;
2. European Literature
3. Afro-Asian Literature; and
4. African, Latin American and Asian Literature

B. Research the literary evolution of the above-mentioned literature from different

regions and cite at least one well-known works, author, and development.

Answer:

A.
1. Anglo-American Literature - It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer
to people of British Isles descent in the Americas, New Zealand and Australia. Anglo
is a Late Latin prefix used to denote English. The word is derived from Anglia, the
Latin name for England, and still the modern name of its eastern region.
2. European Literature - It is also known as the Western Literature, and it refers
to the literature in the Indo-European languages including Latin, Greek, the
Romance languages, and Russian considered as the largest body of literature in the
world.
3. Afro-Asian Literature - It is a literature that is written by people from mixed African-
Arab ethnicity, or African-Asian ethnicity. philosophies of life.
4. African Literature - It consists of a body of work in different languages and various
genres, ranging from oral literature to literature written in colonial languages such as
French, Portuguese and English. Early African Literature was written in hieroglyphics.
5. Latin-American Literature - It is the national literatures of the Spanish-speaking
countries of the Western Hemisphere. Historically, it also includes the literary
expression of the highly developed American Indian civilizations conquered by the
Spaniards
6. Asian Literature - It encompasses the literary works from the various parts of the
continent: we have texts from Russia in the North; the trio of Chinese, Japanese,
and Korean masterpieces from East Asia; Arabian works from the West;
masterpieces from countries like India, Pakistan, and Nepal in the South region;
 writings from Kazakhstan and its surrounding countries in Central Asia; and stories
from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand in the Southeast.

B.
Asian Literature (The Philippines)

 Noli Me Tángere (Dr. Jose P. Rizal) - Among the great novels in Philippine
literature, Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not in English) is the most controversial and
widely-known – it’s included in the current education curriculum of Filipino high
school students. Written by the country’s national hero, Dr. José P. Rizal, this novel
sparked the social awakening of Filipinos during the Spanish colonial era. As Rizal
cannot fathom the unfairness of the Spanish priests and the ruling government at
the time, his purpose of writing the book was to expose the ills of Philippine society
at the time. In this revolutionary book, you’ll learn about the story of Crisostomo
Ibarra, how he dealt with Spanish authorities, and how he prepared for his revenge,
as told in Rizal’s 2nd book, El Filibusterismo (The Filibustering in English).
 Florante at Laura (Francisco Balagtas) - Another famous masterpiece in Philippine
literature, Francisco Balagtas’ Florante at Laura is written in the form of ‘awit’ where
there are four lines per stanza and 12 syllables per line. Set in the fictional kingdom
of Albania, it tackles the story between Duke Florante and Princess Laura, who’s
also being pursued by Florante’s enemy Count Adolfo. As a literary classic, this
book has become a favorite play not only among Filipino high school students, but
has been showcased in grand theaters such as Gantimpala Theater and the
Cultural Center of the Philippines.
 Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Amado V. Hernandez) - Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of
Prey) was written by Filipino writer and social activist, Amado V. Hernandez. Being
a novel that tackles social-political issues, particularly Philippine revolution and
neocolonialism, it has a connection to Rizal’s earlier novels – Noli Me
Tángere and El Filibusterismo. There was a passage in the novel where protagonist
Mando Plaridel was tested by Tata Matyas on what he knows about Rizal’s
controversial books. As he narrated the living conditions of Filipinos then, readers
will note how Hernandez had high hopes for significant changes that would uplift the
Philippine society.
 The Woman who had Two Navels (Nick Joaquin) - Being one of the most admired
writers in Philippine literature, Nick Joaquin was recognized as National Artist of the
Philippines for Literature in 1976. In his historical novel entitled The Woman Who
Had Two Navels, Joaquin examines the effects and influence of the past towards
the post-war events in the Philippines. Lead female character Connie Escobar
thinks she has two navels, and thus requests her doctor to remove one – which
symbolically means that she wants to shun away from a traumatic past. She later
finds out that her husband, Macho Escobar, was the lover of her mother. Hoping to
escape after being betrayed, she flees, only to discover more truths.
 Po-on: Isang Nobela (F. Sionil Jose) - Like Hernandez and Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose’s
works have been deeply influenced by Rizal. This was reflected in his books and
short stories, particularly the five-part novel series Rosales Saga, which narrated
class struggles and colonialism experienced by Filipinos. Po-on A Novel is the first
 book in the Rosales Saga, which tells stories about Rosales, Pangasinan in the
Philippines. While this book is the last written and published in the series, it’s
actually the book that sets the five-part story. Discover the story of Eustaqio “Istak”
Samson who abandoned his family to join the rebel forces and escape the cruelty of
Spanish authorities. The other four books in the saga are: Tree, My Brother, My
Executioner, The Pretenders, and Mass.
 Banaag at Sikat (Lope K. Santos) - Banaag at Sikat (From Early Dawn to Full Light)
has been dubbed the ‘bible of the Filipino working class.’ Being among the earliest
novels written by Lope K. Santos, it’s considered by Filipino critic Teodoro Agoncillo
as one of the most important books in Philippine literature in 1949. That’s because
according to Agoncillo, it paved the way for the development of a system on
how Tagalog novels were written. The novel narrates the story between Delfin and
Felipe who have contrasting views. Delfin is a socialist whereas Felipe, despite
being the son of a rich landowner, leans towards anarchism. Throughout the
narrative, themes of love, livelihood, and societal status are embedded.
 Ilustrado (Miguel Syjuco) - This novel written by Miguel Syjuco landed him a spot on
the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize, being awarded the Grand Prize. Layered with
fiction and non-fiction themes, the story begins with main character Crispin Salvador,
a noted writer whose lifeless body was discovered by authorities floating off the
Hudson River in New York. Since there was no evidence of foul play, it led them to
think that the author must have taken his own life. His student and friend, who has
the same name as the book’s author Miguel Syjuco, hopes to unravel the story
behind this mystery.
 Dekada ‘70 (Lualhati Bautista) - The Marcos era in the ’70s is a dark chapter in
Philippine history. No one dares to speak against the government for fear of
execution – in some cases, bodies are not even retrieved. Hence, it has been a
tumultuous period, especially for the Filipino parents to protect their kids from the
oppressive regime and at the same time, stand together as one family. Lualhati
Bautista has captured true-to-life scenarios in the ’70s, mentioning changes that
arose after the Plaza Miranda bombing and the suspension of the Writ of Habeas
Corpus in the Philippines. The novels tells the story of lead protagonist Amanda
Bartolome and her family, where she had to deal with facing the law and her
responsibilities towards her five sons.
 Smaller and Smaller Circles (F.H. Batacan) - It is the first Filipino crime detective
story set in the Philippines. The mystery novel revolves around two Jesuit priests
named Gus Saenz and Jerome Lucero who happen to perform forensic work. There
have been murders of young boys in the slum area of Payatas. As the novel
explores themes that deal with the corruption and inefficiency in the government,
they hope to uncover the mysterious murderer behind the serial killings in Manila‘s
slum area. In 1999, Batacan’s mystery novel won the Carlos Palanca Grand Prize
for English Novel.
 ABNKKBSNPLAko?! (Bob Ong) - Spelt in the texting language, the title of this
book phonetically reads “Aba nakakabasa na pala ako?!” which can be translated
as “Wow I can read now?!” Written by an anonymous Filipino contemporary author
whose pen name is Bob Ong, the book rose to fame for depicting the supposed
unforgettable moments of his life as a student, starting from the first time of entering
school up to his college days. Unlike classic traditional novels, Bob Ong’s books
make use of conversational Filipino language as he narrates stories in a humorous
way while depicting the real-life situations in Philippine context.